Washing-machine.



Patented Mar. l3, I900. A. J. SMITH.

WASHING MACHINE.

(Application filed. July 28, 1899.)

No Modal.)

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UNITED STATES I PATENT FFICE.

ANDRINV J. SMITH, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,303, dated March 13, 1900.

Application filed July 28, 1899. Serial No. 725,394. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. SMITH, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVashing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in washing-machines wherein movable rubbers are employed for washing the clothes; and it has for its object to provide a machine of this character, of a simple and inexpensive nature, having a novel arrangement of the rubbers and their driving devices, whereby the operation of the machine is made easier and better results are attained in the washing of clothes.

The invention consists in certain novel features of the construction of the improved washing-machine and in certain new combinations and arrangements of the several parts thereof, whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is made simpler, cheaper, and otherwise better adapted and more convenient for use, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical section taken lengthwise through the machine in the plane indicated by the line a a in Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken transversely through the machinein the plane indicated by the line 0 c in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial plan view showing the driving devices for the rubbers. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken lengthwise through the lid or cover of the machine and showing the construction of the guide-bearings for the pivot-pins of the upper rubbers. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view showing one of the bearing-brackets of the upper rubbers. Fig. 6 is a section taken lengthwise through the bearing bracket shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section taken transversely through the plate or bearinglBrraoket in the plane indicated by line b b in In the views, 1 indicates the casing or tub, having legs 2 and provided with a lid or cover 3 whereon the driving devices are carried,

said lid or cover having suitable hinges at one end, as at 6, and having its top provided with suitable openings 7 for the passage of arms 8, the lower ends of which are connected to the upper rubbers 9, mounted pivotally in the cover 3 and fitting inside the lower rubber 10, which is formed with a concave rubbing-surface and is held at its opposite sides on central pivots engaging sockets in the opposite sides of the tub 1, so as to rock or oscillate in said tub, the rear end of said lower rubber 10 having a rearwardly-projecting link 11 connected to it by means of a clip 11, having attaching-arms taking over opposite sides of the upper cross-bar of said lower rubber, as shown in Fig. 1. To the link 11 is pivotally coupled the lower end of a link 12, which passes up through an opening 7 in the top of the cover 3 and has atits end an eye to receive a crank-pin 13 on a crank 14 of a shaft 15, held in brackets 16 on the cover, said brackets having, as shown in Fig. 1, arms 17, extending at angles to each other and adapted to fit over the corner of the cover 3 for secure attachment of the brackets to the cover.

The end of shaft 15 carries a balance-wheel 18, having a crank-handle 19, by means of which the shaft is rotated to impart, through its crank 14 and link 12, a reciprocating rocking movement to the lower rubber 10 on its pivot in tubs l, and to the crank-pin 13 is also connected one end of a link 20, the other end of which is formed with an eye to receive a pin 21, central on a yoke or tie-bar 22, the opposite ends of which have eyes to receive pins 23 on the upper ends of arms 8 of the upper rubbers 9, so that said upper rubbers are also driven from the crank-shaft 15.

There are two upper rubbers 9, similarly formed with convex rubbingfaces depending below the cover 3 and adapted to operate on the clothes in connection with each other and also in connection with the lower rubber 10 When the crank-shaft 15 is turned, and said upper rubbers have at their opposite ends projecting pivot-pins 24, engaging in'slotted guideways extended vertically of the cover 3, so as to permit the said rubbers 9 to move up and down to accommodate themselves to the clothes in the tub. The slotted guideways are formed, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7, in bracket-bearings 25,- having projecting lugs 26 to receive screws for attachment to the opposite walls of the cover 3, and at the lower ends of said guideways are preferably arranged cushions 27 to receive the weight of the rubbers 9 when they are allowed to fall in lowering the cover 3, so as to relieve the parts from the shock caused by the fall of the rubbers and prevent loosening of the bearingbrackets 25. The cushions 27 are, as shown, formed of coiled-wire springs having their end portions 28 projected in opposite directions and engaged in recesses 29 in the edges of the bracket-bearings, which fit flush against the walls of the cover 3. also, there may be a cushion 27 provided at both top and bottom of each guideway; but in practice I prefer to employ such an upper cushion only at the front end of the cover, as shown in Fig, 4, to receive the weight of the forward rubber when the cover is raised off of the tub 1.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- If desired,

In a washing-machine, the combination of a tub, a cover hinged thereon, a lower rubber, an upper rubber having driving devices and pivot-pins, bracket-bearings secured in the cover and having vertical guideways to receive the pivot-pins of the said upper rubber, and also provided with recesses in their rear edges, and coil-springs arranged at-the lower ends of the guideways in position to be engaged by the pivot-pins of the upper rubber when the cover is lowered onto the tub, said coil -springs having their end portions extended outward and held in the recesses of the bracket-bearings, between said bearings and the walls of the cover, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me at Cincinnati, Ohio, this 13th day of July, 1899.

ANDREW J SMITH.

l/Vitnesses:

JOHN ELIAS JONES, WM. F. EDWARDS. 

